Dr. David Ludwig, who directs the hospital's Obesity Prevention Center, and colleagues tested a group of 12 overweight or obese men and found that those who ate meals with high glycemic indexes (characterized by simple carbs and sugary drinks) experienced "increased hunger, and selectively stimulated brain regions associated with reward and craving" compared with the group who at the low glycemic meals, the study said.

Ludwig told The New York Times that his research "suggests that based on their effects on brain metabolism, all calories are not alike. Not everybody who eats processed carbohydrates develops uncontrollable food cravings. But for the person who has been struggling with weight in our modern food environment and unable to control their cravings, limiting refined carbohydrate NOT PLURAL? may be a logical first step.”

Coincidentally, the study came out the day beforePanda Expressannounced it may take brown fried rice off its menu if diners vote it out. Although brown rice has a glycemic index similar to long-grain white rice (55 and 56 respectively), its extra nutrients and fiber may cause eaters to consume less of it, thus delivering a lower glycemic load per meal.

"Brown fried rice replaced classic fried rice earlier this year to much acclaim,” the company said in a statement noting that it would bring white fried rice back for the voting period. “However, a passionate group of Panda guests have inspired the company to put the question to a referendum at Panda’s more than 1,600 stores.”

“Our goal is to make life delicious,” said Andrew Cherng, co-founder and CEO of Panda Express. “We listened to our guests when we began offering brown fried rice and now we are listening again. We cannot go wrong when we empower our guests.”

The campaign will run from July 3 to August 31, during which time the chain will track orders of classic fried rice and the new brown fried rice. Diners can keep track of the results on the company'sFacebook page.But once the final votes are tallied one type of fried rice must leave the menu island.

"Steamed white and brown rice will continue to stay on the menu," the company says.